Factors influencing repeated suicide attempts among suicide attempters who visited the emergency room due to acute drug intoxication: a retrospective study

Abstract

Purpose: This retrospective study was conducted to identify factors associated with repeated suicide attempts by analyzing the electronic medical records of suicide attempters who visited emergency medical centers due to drug intoxication.Methods: Data from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021 were collected for this study and analyzed using SPSS/WIN 25.0.Results: In this study, the factors affecting repeated suicide attempts among individuals who visited the emergency medical center due to acute drug intoxication were the presence or absence of psychiatric diseases, the season of drug intoxication, and age. In order to identify the factors affecting repeated suicide attempts in those who presented with acute drug intoxication, logistic regression analysis was performed by inputting psychiatric diseases, season of drug intoxication, and age, all of which exhibited significant differences between those who did and did not attempt suicide again. The presence of psychiatric diseases (odds ratio [OR] = 1.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04~3.80), intoxication occurring in the fall (vs. spring; OR = 3.35, 95% CI = 1.28~8.75), and age ≥ 65 (vs. those under the age of 18; OR = 12.96, 95% CI = 2.02~83.17). The regression model was found to be statistically significant (F = 30.01, p < .001), and the coefficient of determination of Cox and Snell, which represents the explanatory power of the model, was 12.0%.Conclusion: This study suggests that to prevent repeated suicide attempts, it is necessary to develop a tool to evaluate the risk of suicide, use it to evaluate the risk of suicide, and then manage individuals accordingly.